Customer Reviews

Luxury Restaurant Brand Eyes Phuket

Luxury Restaurant Brand Eyes Phuket

The growing number of international visitors travelling to Phuket to enjoy high-end dining experiences makes the island an increasingly attractive location for stylish new eateries to open. The latest example is Zuma, a modern Izakaya-style restaurant brand, which recently revealed plans to open its own pop-up eatery at the island’s Anantara Layan Hotel.

Izakaya is a contemporary form of Japanese dining, in which a selection of small dishes and snacks are served alongside drinks. The phenomenon has taken Japan’s restaurant scene by storm, and is popular with professionals heading out with friends for food and drinks after work.

Zuma Bangkok, a standalone restaurant, offers this kind of unique dining experience in a stylish environment and since it opened its doors, the restaurant has thrived. It is therefore looking to expand into new destinations that attract high-spending diners.

According to Sven Koch, chief executive of Zuma Global, the success of the Bangkok branch means that there is definitely scope to open a pop-up eatery in Phuket on a short-term basis, as the company only plans to have one restaurant in each country.

Visitors travelling to Phuket already enjoy a wide array of culinary experiences, ranging from authentic street food stands at popular walking street markets, right through to tasting menus created by chefs flown in from Michelin-starred restaurants. The quality of the fresh produce available on Phuket makes it a favourite with foodies. The fresh seafood in particular draws people back to the island time and time again.

For visitors seeking a high-end culinary experience, in-villa dining is becoming a go-to choice. Many of the islands luxury private properties come with an array of exquisite facilities – in addition to the dedicated services of a professional chef. This is great news for guests who prefer eating in rather than heading out to restaurants every night while they’re on holiday. They can put together a tailored menu with their villa manager, based on their own tastes and dietary requirements. Villa Chefs are then able to prepare a range of dishes, including Thai and Western favourites.